Shaquan Saunders, Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Connecticut 2023

NEW LONDON, CT – Shaquan Saunders, 28, known on the streets as “Sosa Da Billy,” is headed to federal prison for 40 months after admitting to illegally possessing a firearm linked to a New London shooting. U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall delivered the sentence yesterday in New Haven, adding three years of supervised release to Saunders’ term.

The case began on August 7, 2020, when New London Police, investigating a recent surge in gun violence, searched a vehicle Saunders had been using. Inside, officers found a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a spent .45 shell casing, and a live .380 round. It wasn’t just the gun itself that landed Saunders in trouble. Forensic analysis quickly confirmed Saunders’ DNA was on the weapon.

But the connection ran deeper. Ballistics testing, utilizing the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), matched the handgun and the recovered shell casing to a shooting that had rattled the city just two days prior, on August 5th, on Blydenburg Avenue. This linked Saunders directly to the escalating violence plaguing New London.

Saunders wasn’t a stranger to the law. Court records reveal a history of multiple felony convictions, a fact undoubtedly weighing heavily on Judge Hall’s decision. He’s been locked up since September 21, 2020, awaiting the outcome of the investigation. On April 4, 2023, he finally pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon – a charge that carries significant weight.

The investigation was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the New London Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha M. Freismuth prosecuted the case, framing it as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, a nationwide initiative focused on reducing violent crime.

PSN aims to target the most dangerous offenders and work with local programs to prevent future violence. This sentencing, officials say, is a direct result of that strategy, sending a message that illegal gun possession will not be tolerated in New London. Saunders’ 40-month sentence underscores the federal government’s commitment to taking firearms off the streets and holding those responsible for gun violence accountable.

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